Embattled Governor of Rivers State, Mr Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, at a youth interactive session held inside the Banquet Hall of Government House, Port Harcourt, on Monday evening, cried out over his safety following the announcement of his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
Amaechi decried the way and manner he was suspended without any invitation or fair hearing.
“I was not invited by the NWC of PDP, I was not given a fair hearing,” he said.
The PDP had, on Monday, suspended Amaechi for violating articles 58 1(b), (c), (h) and (m) of the PDP constitution, following his refusal to obey the directive to rescind his decision in dissolving the elected executive council of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
In furtherance of the suspension, the party set up an 11-man investigation panel, headed J. K. Gadzama (SAN), to look into the allegations levelled against him by the state chapter of the party.
However, Amaechi said: “What I heard was why did I refuse to reinstate the suspended Obio/Akpor council executive? Who suspended them?” he asked, to which youths at the forum replied “the state House of Assembly suspended the council.”
Amaechi further stressed that he did not suspend the executive, saying, “I hope you know, I have the power and my power is to dissolve. I can dissolve Obio/Akpor council (executive). But I have not done that. What the assembly members are doing is that they are investigating corruption. But the party said they should not investigate corruption, is it fair?”
The governor said “if they are not guilty, then they will re-instate them, but if they are guilty, then we will ask for the dissolution of the council. We have not even done half (of the investigation) and the party (PDP) says re-instate them. It means that the party likes corruption. Let the Assembly resume and commence investigation, let’s see what goes on.
“Whether there is corruption or not, it is the business of the assembly. I have been a speaker, and I know the powers of a speaker and the legislature. I used it when I was a speaker.”
Amaechi urged the youth to offer prayers to God on his behalf as he did nothing wrong as Governor and member of the PDP to ask for his rights, which has now been interpreted as anti-party.
“I will not leave the PDP. I will go to court…. The plane issue is same politics, pure politics. For one year plus, a minister refuse to sign import permit. I am sure you are aware of the House of Representatives Committee report on the plane issue,” he said.
Speaking on the now controversial NGF election, Governor Amaechi said “you will see it on the internet. When the governors were voting, all the governors were there and you will also see the counting.
“We (governors) agreed to voting and all the governors voted, so any governor who said he didn’t vote is lying against the nation, because all of us are on oath to govern properly, so we should not lie, every governor voted, you will see the video.
“There is a rumour that they want to go to court to stop me as NGF chairman. We are ready to meet them in court, but they should not go through the backdoor to get an order,” Amaechi said.
“I want to say the way these people at the federal level are acting, they may come for my life, so when you pray, please pray for me”, he pleaded.
make una leave amaechi. Advice to Jonathan: d more u fight him, d more he becomes a saint in peoples eyes; and u, d sinner.
Yes notice me 4 any post
Ameachi You should ask yourself if you have been fair to the rivers people as a govonor,I think you are reaping what you sowed.